Fishing reel



pri 3, 195i A. B. LAUTERBACH FISHING REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec, 12, 1947 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 U i 'EE S TT 'arent FFICE FISHING REEL Application December 12, i947, Serial No. 791,345

1 Claim. 'i

This invention relates to iishing reels and more particularly to the type known as free spooling reels.

The present invention is an improvement over the reel construction of my prior Patent No. 2,l29,334l, issued June le, 1938 and has as a primary object improved clutch actuating mechanisrn whereby the spool is connected or disconnected with or from the crank operated mechanisrn with greater ease and certainty by a fisherman.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reel of the above noted character which is simple and strong in construction, durable and reliable :in operation .and which in accordance with one embodiment thereof includes mechanism for automatically connecting the spool for rotation with the crank operated gear subsequent to the disconnection of the spool from driving connection with the gear by manually operable inea-ns.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is an inside elevational View of the right hand head plate of the reel with which the present invention is associated.

Fig. 2 is an outside elevational view of the right hand head plate with the operating crank associated therewith. and showing screws by which the plate is connected to the usual cross bars spanning the space between the left hand and right hand head plates.

Fig. 3 is a View of the reel in side elevation with the right hand head plate in substantially diametrical vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View corresponding to the right hand portion of Fig. 3, but showing the clutch and clutch actuating mechanism in a different position.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View in the plane of line 5-5 on Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is an elevational View corresponding with Fig. l but disclosing a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the parts in a diiierent position.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View in the plane of line 8 3 on Fig. 6, spring 5I being,r omitted.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View in the plane of line 9 9 on Fig. 6.

Referring now in detail to thedrawings, and Iirst to Figures 1 to 5 wherein the iirst embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the reel includes a left head plate I Il and a right head plate I I which are interconnected in the usual manner by cylindrical bars I2 and a member I3 by which the reel is mounted upon the butt end of a fishing rod.

Revolvaoly mounted between the head plates Il] and I I is the reel spool Il! having a hub I5 and opposite end plates I6. The connection of the hub I5 with the left head plate I is not shown but is as disclosed in my said patent and forms no part of the present invention.

The right hand end of the spool hub I5 is provided with a spindle Il having bearing in a bore I8 of a stub shaft I9. At this point it is to be noted that the head plates preferably each include a transparent body portion as indicated and opposed hanged rings 2i) are disposed at the peripheries of the body portions, and such rings are seated in depressed portions such that their outer surfaces are flush with the outer surfaces of the body portions.

Slidably disposed on the fixed stub shaft I9 is a longitudinally movable clutch member 2l which is unitary with a pinion 22 and between which is a circular race 23.

The clutch member 2i is preferably cylindriis provided with a diametrical slot 24 for receiving the rib 25 of a cooperating clutch member in the form of a hub portion 25 proje ting from the concave face of the right hand spool plate I5.

clutch shifting arm` 2l has one end thereof secured to the body of plate I i as by means of a U 23 and the opposite end of such arm is ed rests in the movable clutch member race The arm 2l preferably rests in a slot in the plate body portion as well an alined slot 2S in a lug integral with the body portion and the bottom wall of the slot 25 is rounded as at 3l to accommodate the arm in its flexing. movements.

The clutch shifting arm is normally urged in a direction to operatively engage the clutch members 2l and 26 (Fig. 4) by a spring 32'having one end thereof bearing on the arm and the: other ent thereof resting in a recess 33 in the head plate ii.

The movement ci the arm to clutchingposition by mea' of spring 32 is limited by means of a bar Si which is supportedfby the plate II for long 17dinal sl movement and which constructed .for urging the arm 2l' in an opposite direction against the action of spring 32' to dis- 3 engage the clutch members for free spooling as is indicated in Fig. 3.

The 'oar 34 includes opposite end portions 35 which are slidably disposed in openings in head plate ll and the par is preferably disposed at right angles to the arm 21.

The bar is of substantial depth at its end portions 25 in the provision of finger push mem er and the bar intermediate such end portion includes a substantially thin portion 35 as shown in Fig. and which overlies the arm 2l. The intermediate portion 3S is provided with elongated slots 3l through which project screws 38 having their shank ends threaded into the plate ll and the heads of 'the screws bearing on the outer face of the portion 3G. This screw and slot connection provides for limited longitudinal movement of the bar B.

The position of the bar in Fig. 5 corresponds to Fig. -i wherein the arm 2 is urged by spring 32 to engage the clutch member, and the bar portion 36 limits the movement oi .ie shift arm in this direction.

The portion 35 of bar Bil is provided with a lug 4G which upon movement of bar '34 to the position in Fig. l urges the arm 2'? to the right as in Fig. 3 with the result that the clutch members 2| and 2S are disengaged for a free spooling operation.

The pinion 2l is in driving connection with a gear 5| rotatably supported on a Xed shaft 42 having one end secured in a plate G3, and the gear 5I is rotatable by a crank handle Llil in the usual manner.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that a free spooling reel structure is provided having clutch shif ting mechanism which is operable by means whereby any possible slipping of the ngers as may readily occur in a lever structure according to my patent, is avoided and fur thermore that the operating parts are of relatively simple construction whereby the structure is not liable to get out oi operation.

A modied embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 to 9 and which includes means for automatically engaging the clutch members upon initial rotation of gear ill by the crank handle 14.

In this embodiment, the bar 36 includes a single finger operable end portion 35' which is movable through the head plate as indicated in Fig. 3. This bar 34 includes a major relatively thin portion 35 with the free end thereof slidable in a recess the range of sliding movement oi" the bar being shown in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein the clutch members are 'engaged and disengaged respectively.

The bar 34 is normally retained in the position of Figs. 6 and 8, with the clutch members engaged, by means of a spring d5 having one end thereof seated in a recess @l in a projection t8 unitary with the head plate l i, and the opposite end of the spring engages a lug 69 xed to and depending from the bar portion 36. The lug t normally engages one edge of arm 2? to limit movement of the bar 35 to the position of Fig. 18. The bar 34 is provided with a cam lug d and an undercut notch 5D together with a spring projecting from one corner of the notch.

A lever 52 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends beneath plate 63 as at 53, one end of the lever being provided with a tooth 5f! having an edge normally resting on the edge of bar portion 36 adjacent notch 56 and having angular edge for cooperation with a corresponding edge of the undercut notch 50, such cooperating edges being designated 54' and 50 respectively. The opposite end or lever 52 comprises a square ended iinger 55 engageable with successive teeth of a ratchet wheel 56 suitably secured ior rotation with the gear l I. A spring 5l normally urges lever 52 counter-clockwise for engagement of tooth E4 with bar 34.

In Fig. 6 the parts are shown in clutch engag- Ving position. When it is desired to disengage the clutchl members by means of shift arm 21, the bar portion 35 is engaged by the thumb or finger and the bar 34 moved to the position of Fig. 7, whereupon cam lug 48' will ride over arm 21 and move same to disengage the clutch members. At the same time, the tooth 5 will be urged by spring 5'! into the notch 5D and spring 5| will urge the edges 5S' and 5ft into engagement, and the linger 55 will drop into contact with an end of one of the ratchet teeth as in Fig. 7, and the reel will then be conditioned for a free spooling operation.

When it is again desired to engage the clutch members, the crank handle 44 is initially rotated whereupon the ratchet wheel 56 in its counterclockvvise rotation will urge the lever 52 clockwise and Withdraw tooth 54 from within the notch 5G, and spring 45 will thereupon urge the bar 34' to its normal position of Figs. 6 and 8.

It should be appreciated that this second em bodiment of my invention is a marked improvement over structures of this kind in that the separate operation of clutching the reel is eliminated.

While I have disclosed but certain specic structural embodiments of my invention, such are to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the subjoined claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

In a free spool reel, a left head plate, a right head plate, a spool having circular end plates disposed between and rotatably supported by the head plates, a clutch member fixed to the end plate of the spool adjacent the right head plate and co-axially of the spool, a second clutch member and a pinion unitary therewith rotatably supported by the right head plate and being mounted for axial sliding movement relative to the xed clutch member, a drive gear rotatably supported by the right head plate and being in driving engagement with. said pinion, an elon' gated ileXible clutch member shifting arm having one end secured to the right head plate and the other end forked and operatively engaged in a race between the slidable clutch member and pinion; the improvement in means for moving the arm laterally to eiect engagement and disengagement of the clutch members comprising a spring disposed between the right head plate and one side of the arm for normally urging same in one direction to move the slidable clutch member into operative engagement With the fixed clutch members, a bar slidably supported by the right head plate and bearing on the opposite side of the arm, and a cam lug on said bar engageable with said arm to move same in an opposite direction against the action of said spring to disengage said clutch members, a spring cooperating with said right head plate and said bar for normally urging same in one direction with said clutch members engaged, a notch in one edge of said bar, a

ratchet wheel supported by and rotatable with said gear, a lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends by said right head plate, one end of said lever having a notch engageable foot normally resting on the edge of said bar adjacent said notch, spring means urging said lever in a direction to urge said foot into said notch upon movement of said bar to a position in which the cam lug engages the arm, the other end of'said 1ever having a square ended nger engageable with a tooth of said ratchet wheel when said lever tooth is in said notch, and the face of an adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel engaging said nger upon rotation of the gear and'ratchet Wheel to move said lever tooth out of said notch for movement of said bar to normal position by means of said spring,

ALEXANDER B. LAUTERBACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,002,352 Wisenberg Sept. 5, 1911 1,087,149 Stanley Feb. 17, 1914 2,129,386 Schafer Sept. 6, 1938 2,130,581 Case Sept. 20, 1938 

